Paul Leo Herman

Paul Leo Herman, age 99, of Brooklyn, Mich., died Jan. 28, 2016. Paul was born Oct. 22, 1916, in Jackson, Mich., the son of Rose Gawlak and James V. Herman. He had been a resident of Toledo, Ohio, for 30 years (1942-1972) and of Brooklyn for 34 years. He retired from Herman Brothers, Inc. Building Contractors of Sylvania, Ohio in 1978.

Prior to World War II, Paul was an assistant to the president of Meyers Aircraft Co., in Tecumseh, Mich.; chief process engineer at Briggs Mfg. Co. Vernor Ave. Plant Tooling Division, Detroit, Mich.; consulting engineer for the A.J. Brandt Co. of Detroit, stationed at Consolidated-Voltee in San Diego, Calif.; and assistant general master mechanic of Willy’s-Overland Motors Inc., Aircraft Division, Toledo.

At the end of World War II, Paul along with brothers Carl and Nicholas, reactivated the J.V. Herman Builders Co. of Jackson and relocated to Toledo, under the new name of Herman Brothers, Inc. The company constructed schools, churches, factories and other commercial buildings in northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan. He served as president until his retirement.

Paul was an avid big game hunter; he also enjoyed vegetable gardening, motor homing and golf.

He was a middle-distance runner during his high school and college years, and estimated that he ran 17,000 miles during his career. He was a Michigan State Class A Champion in cross-country in 1935 and the one-mile in track in 1936. Paul holds a certificate of lifetime membership in the Michigan State Normal College Alumni Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents; by his beloved first wife of 20 years, Eunice Irene Fike and their two infant sons, Thomas Charles and John Corydon; by his loving wife, Bernice Link Hooker; three sisters, Elsie Klee, Lucille Root and Alabertha Herman; and by his two brothers, Nicholas Herman and Carl Herman; and his stepson, Thomas R. Hooker.

Surviving are his sister, Rose Marie Schneider; his three daughters, Valerie Rae Fatchett of Dexter, Mich., Pamela Ann (John) Fatchett  of Parma, Mich., and Rose Mary (Tom) Campbell of Bluffton, S.C.; his four sons, Paul Leo II of Toledo, James R. Keane of Hillsboro, Ohio, Douglas Craig of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Delbert Joseph (Anne) of Temperance, Mich. and his step-son John Link (Phronsie) Hooker of Ottawa Lake, Mich.; and 22 grandchildren and almost 27 great-grandchildren. Paul also treasured each of his thirteen godchildren

The family has followed Paul’s request that his remains be cremated immediately after death. Interment will be at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Sylvania, Ohio. Friends and family will gather at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 4605 S. Anthony Road, Temperance, Mich., Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. to celebrate Paul’s life. Fr. Brian Hurley officiant. Memorials may be made in Paul’s honor to Macular Degeneration Research, University of Michigan, Kellogg Eye Center, 1000 Wall St., Ann Arbor, MI 48105, or to Breast Cancer Research, Susan G. Komen Foundation, P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, Texas 75265-0309.